The Angel Baby Fund

I know, I have been absent.  Since the Sandy Hook thing.  And really, I was working on surviving the holidays.  And feeling overwhelmed with our situation and a baby on the way and ...I could go on.  It doesn't matter.

On New Year Day my best friend went into labor at 14 weeks.  Her water broke.  A sonogram showed no heartbeat and she had to deliver her tiny little son.  I felt helpless to help.  She is 2000 miles away.  She talks to me every day, and I do what I can.  I made a memory blanket for her little boy and finally got it out in the mail.

Yesterday, a beloved Tweep, known by many more than I realized, miscarried their 5th.  I wrote about her last year after she lost her 2nd set of twins to preterm delivery.  She was given the option to do IVF one last time before a hysterectomy, and it was successful.  She was right around 12 weeks.  The Twitterverse is in shock.  And yet again, I felt helpless.

I am done feeling helpless.  I am done standing by offering nothing but empty words.

Last night I put the feelers out and began a group for our friend, Love For Lis, on FB to raise money to put something together for her.  When I went to bed we had 25 members.  When I woke up we had 75, and more have joined today.

And I thought, "wow...this is an incredible outpouring of love."  And I thought about how many women in our community have suffered through an early loss in silence, through stillbirth, through infant or child death, and how hard it is to support them through it.  And I thought...this group doesn't have to stop here.

And so, with another woman or 2, and with the help of an amazing community donating web design services, possible lawyer services, etc...The Angel Baby Fund shall be born.

I am starting a non-profit.  A group that will take monetary donations, as well as handmade gifts, or gift cards, or whatever people can/want to contribute.  And when someone experiences a loss, their loved ones can contact us and we can send something.

I have a lot to do.  Set up with the county.  Set up with the IRS.  Find a bank to use (since we may move in a few months, one that is national).  Buy domain.  Set up website.  Etc etc.  But we are going to make this happen.  This feels right.  And I think it is a much needed thing.  There are small sites out there that do specific items for people.  We can link up with them maybe.  Refer to them for their specific products.  But it is going to happen.  I am starting a non-profit.

The Angel Baby Fund (or something along those lines).